On Wednesday, an Ikeja Special Offences Court denied the actor for the Nollywoord films, James Olarewaju, aka Baba Ijesha, his request for bail awaiting appeal.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo denied the troubled actor’s request for bail on the grounds that he did not meet the requirements for exceptional circumstances and conditions warranting the relief.
“The applicant must show special and exceptional circumstances because the term given to him is five years which is to run concurrently.
“There is no evidence that the appeal has been entered and there is no indication before this court that the court will not treat the case expeditiously.
“It is in the view of this court that the applicant has failed to show special circumstances to warrant him bail because he is facing a serious crime.
“In view of this case, I am inclined to refuse the bail application of the applicants pending appea,” Taiwo held.
According to NAN, the troubled actor is requesting release in order to appeal his five-year sentence for sexually abusing a 14-year-old girl.
A notice for bail pending appeal has been submitted in accordance with Section 6(6) of the 1999 Constitution as amended and Section 51 of the High Court Law of Lagos State, administration of criminal justice law, according to Baba Ijesha’s attorney, Mr. Gabriel Olabiran, who informed the court on August 10 of this.
Olabiran claimed that the application had granted bail, either unconditionally or subject to reasonable conditions.
He said that the case was placed before the court because the Court of Appeal was having trouble scheduling a hearing.
However, the state’s attorney general, Mr. Yusuf Sule, contended in a counter-affidavit dated August 18 that the defense had failed to prove any unique circumstances that may allow the convict to be released on bail.
“My lord, the defence has failed woefully in addressing the special circumstances which can be used to grant the convict bail.
The court sentenced the troubled actor to five years in prison on July 14 for sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl, according to NAN.
The prosecution’s case against the convicted person on the charges of sexual assault and indecent treatment of a minor was upheld by the court.
However, the judge cleared him of counts one and six, which involved sexual penetration (which occurred in 2014) and attempted sexual penetration (which occurred in 2021).
